Talk on significance of Xmas

Dear all ,

A talk on Significance of Xmas shared here. 

Love

Vivekachudamani-Post 66

For him who has been stung by the cobra of ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what use are the Vedas and the scriptures, mantras and medicines to such a victim of poison? (61)

The Supreme, poisoned, as it were, by self-forgetfulness has come to suffer the burning agony of limitations and sorrows. It has forgotten its divine nature and identifying with the matter envelopments, its sobs at its mortality, its sorrows, its imperfections.

To one who has realized these and has come to feel a choking impatience to be relieved from the tyranny of pain, nothing short of Self-rediscovery can be satisfying. A victim of the snakebite of ignorance can be relieved of his painful delirium only by Self-realization. Only then, can he live as the Spirit, the Reality in everything and being. 

It is natural that when a person realizes that he has been bitten by a cobra, he will have none of the ordinary prejudices of faith, creed, position, status, time, or place; any help that reaches  him from any quarter, offered in any attitude will be most welcome.  In that moment of dire sorrow, in the magnitude of his tragedy, he realizes the urgency of the situation, and his only demand is for some antidote to the poison, which can restore him to natural health and vitality. 

Why does Sankara use the word medicine? Because he has compared ajnana into sarpa and samsara into a poison and for the poison there has to be an anti- venom; brahma jnana anti-venom has to be injected for the samsara poison and without this brahma jnana, you do anything in your life; samsara will continue. 

Therefore, he says: without this knowledge, kimu Vedai; what is the use of studying any amount of Vedas; chanting the Vedas; or karma Kanda of the Vedas; or Upasana Kanda; jnana Kanda should not be included here. What is the use of any amount of karma Kanda; any amount of Upasana Kanda itself. 

kimu sastraicha; what is the use of all the other sastra. Here sastra does not include Vedanta sastra. Sastra means Vedanta anya sastra, tarka, Mimamsa, vyakarana Satriaihi kimu; what prayojanam is there. 

kimu mantraihi; what is the use of any learning of mantra and mantra avr̥ttiḥ; I have taken two mantras, I have three mantras, and if you take mantras from every acharya and every saint; and there afterwards complain that they are of no use to you. And you  are not able to continue also; not able to drop also. 

No sooner a seeker realizes that he has been bitten by ignorance, the most dangerous of all serpents in the wild jungles  of uncultured and uncultivated hearts, then he will take the best  from the sastras and will try to imbibe immediately the specific  cure for ignorance, the knowledge of the Real. 

To such a one, of what avail then are the slower though more comfortable means  of study of the Vedas and sastras, repetition of mantras and dizzy  philosophical arguments? 

Exactly the same analogy of being bitten by snake of samsara is referred in a book “Advaita bodha Deepika” , written by a disciple of Sri Ramana where, question is asked by a disciple and answer is given by Sri Ramana

Disciple: Bitten by the cruel serpent of painful samsara, I am dazed and I suffer. Master, pray save me from this burning hell and kindly tell me how I can be free.

Maharishi.: Well said, my Son! You are intelligent and well disciplined. There is no need to prove your competence to be a disciple. Your words clearly show that you are fit. Now look here, my child!

In the Supreme Self of Being-Knowledge-Bliss who can be the transmigrating being? How can this samsara be? What could have given rise to it? And how and whence can it arise itself? Being the non- dual Reality, how can you be deluded? With nothing separate in deep sleep, not having changed in any manner, and having slept soundly and peacefully, a fool on waking shouts out "Alas, I am lost!" How can you, the changeless, formless, Supreme, Blissful Self shout forth "I transmigrate — I am miserable!" and so on? Truly there is neither birth nor death; no one to be born or to die; nothing of the kind!

D.: What does exist then?

M.: There exists only the beginning less, endless, non-dual, never bound, ever free, pure, aware, single, Supreme, Bliss Knowledge.

Through the above answer, Ramana reveals the supreme truth that as long as one is in samsara, one perceives samsara and believes samasara as real, he suffers, as if bitten by snake of samsara and runs hither and thither for relief from the pain caused due to the biting by the snake of samsara.

Once he attains self realization which is the only cure to the self imposed pain  caused due to samsara, then he realizes that there was never this samsara and hence, the snake (of samsara) never existed to bite him ( cause  him suffering). For the SELF that he always is, which is explained by Ramana thus:- “There exists only the beginning less, endless, non-dual, never bound, ever free, pure, aware, single, Supreme, Bliss Knowledge.”, there is no ignorance and therefore, there is no samsara and there can never be any pain caused due to the ignorance that samsara is real!!

Love

Vivekachudamni-Post 65

Commentaries on philosophies constitute a thick jungle in which a roaming mind may easily get lost , in its own delusion. Therefore, true seekers of Brahman should , through right efforts , come to experience the  real nature of the Self  (60)

In this brilliant metaphor the Acharya woos both poetry and  philosophy with the ardor and fervor of a true and noble lover,  handling the philosophy and dandling the poetry, as it were. 

Here, he conveys to us the idea that mere philosophical  discussion is a dangerous jungle, dark and dreary, with luxuriously  growling poisonous weeds and prowling beasts lying in ambush,  ready to pounce upon innocent unsuspecting pilgrims. 

Upanishads  themselves are commented by many acharyas and eleven or more systems of philosophies have been derived from the Upanishads  themselves.

Vishista advaita; dvaita; advaita; sidda advaita; bheda advaita; for all what is the basis? Upanishad, Bhagwad  Gita; Brahma sutra. 

And if you take advaita itself, we have got countless number of original works; countless number of commentaries, countless number of sub-commentaries; countless number of sub- sub-commentaries; 

Now if we are not alert, and get into the trap, from which you may never come out. Therefore be very alert, Sankara  warns: Sabdajalam, the maze of Sastrik words, the layer of Sastric  words  is like maha aranyam; it is a like a deep forest

Into this jungle infested with dangerous flora and fauna, if  an unprepared or innocent mind, frail in strength, carelessly enters,  it might get attacked or destroyed by the lurking dangers. Even an intellectual Master, of great erudition and perfect scholarship can,  now and then, tumble down into unseen potholes and suffer mental  repercussions. So the warning given here by the benevolent Acharya  is of extreme service to initiates entering the portals of Vedanta. 

Therefore atah; therefore, prayatnat jnatavyam. Therefore, very alertly, concentrate on knowing the basic teachings; do not get lost in the frills of vedanta. 

Atmanaḥ tatvam, the essential free nature of oneself, jnatavyam, should be known; tattvajnaih; by the knowers of the truth, or by the seekers of the truth. 

A seeker should set about only after knowing the true  nature of the Self, through the method of Atma-vicara, when he has  fully acquired the necessary qualifications for it through upasanas and meditations.

Having imbibed the essence of scriptures, a sincere seeker should get into in depth meditation/ nidhidhyasana on the essence and strive to get the inner intuitive experience of SELF. He should not endlessly aim at merely learning  mroe and more scriptures and to become an erudite  scholor. 

Love

Vivekachudamani-Post 64

Without knowing the supreme Reality, the study of the sastras is  futile. Having known the supreme Reality, the study of the sastras is  again futile. (59)

Here is an exquisite example of the use of a deliberate statement  of contradiction, to hammer a point into a student while creating  in him a sense of wonderment. 

The verse, even in its tenth reading,  leaves a staggering sense of amazement and confusion. Wonder is  an emotion in which there is a dizzy pause in thinking and at such  a moment of intellectual arrest, the verse filters through. When one  realizes the meaning fully, it goes straight into the deepest vaults  of one's heart cave. 

The paradox is resolved when we give a little conscious application of purified intellect on the word 'knowing' in both  the lines of the verse - 'without knowing' in the first and  'having known' in the second. 

In both cases 'knowing' connotes a different meaning, the literal and the indicative. In the first line it means 'intellectually understanding' and in the second line it means 'realizing'. 

if one goes on studying sastra, and the sastra does not make him independent of the need of Sastra, then such a study is of no use to him. It is nishphala.  

And when one  realizes Self, he gets independent of sastra, transcends all Sastras and transcends everything in creation, including creation itself.

This independence indicates the state of the sadhaka turned seer which is “Aham Brahmaasmi”. 

Sastra study is futile under two conditions. First condition sastra study is futile if it keeps you permanently dependent on any one of the four factors; or all the four factors; second condition is: sastra study is futile after the discovery of the independence.

In the light of these interpretations, the verse becomes a  clear statement of Truth. As long as we have no right intellectual appreciation of what the Vedanta texts indicate, all study of the  scriptures is futile. Again, when we have realized the Truth, study of the scriptures is redundant. 

Like Chinmaya wrote  on His commentary on some other verse from the same text- “ When I reach there, I do not exist, When I come down, I do not exist”

If this beautiful expression is applied to today’s verse, it would read thus:

“When I have realized Self, then I the ego is no more, I the intellect is no more, All the sastras grasped hitherto with that intellect does not exist/ are not relevant as texts aiming to make me evolve in my path, as I have already reached the ultimate goal.

And, when I come down from that state and walk on earth, I cannot express my/ that state, i.e. that state is beyond all Sastras/ all intellectual grasping of all knowledge”

However, even after discovery of independence, one may enjoy the Sastra, but  he does not depend on Sastra, but  what we call leela; as a krida, He  enjoys the sastra.

Long back, the author wrote an article on “ Worshipping form after realization”. Like one may continue to sing in praise of lord, one may undertake pilgrimage, one may stand in front of sanctum sanctorum and chant mantras even after realizing God/Self but all these acts are not arising out of dependence on God, for praying to God for relieving him of any suffering/ pain etc.

All such acts are like Krida in the sense that his boundless joy/ boundless Love/ Brahma Ananda  gets manifested/ gets splashed  in all  such actions of prayer/singing/worship. 

While a seeker prays for attaining fulfillment, any prayer/worship emerges  from  a seer, out of his fulfilled state. All such acts arise from a  soul which has found its fulfillment.

Love

Vivekachudamani-Post 63

Loud speech in a stream of words, the efficiency in expounding or  commenting upon the sastras, erudition gained, these bring only a little joyous , material satisfaction to the scholar but they are insufficient to liberate him completely. (58)

What is the aim of vēdantic study? The aim is to remove all types of psychological dependences which is called samsara.

Now this dependence, we classify into four types; One dependence is the dependence of the majority; dependence on the world; it is world dependence.

And then there afterwards, comes next one, dependence on God. So we say do not depend upon the world all the time; because the objects in the world are perishable; it does not last longer. 

Therefore, we say do not depend upon the world, start depending on God; is what we prescribe. 

And there afterwards they said if you have to drop God-dependence also, you should learn to depend upon yourselves; for that you should get the self-knowledge; you should discover inner strength; and for the sake of self-knowledge, you have to go to a guru. 

Therefore God-dependence is now switched over to Guru-dependence; and I replace God by Guru; 

Gurur Brahma, Gurur Vishno, Gurur Devo Mahesvara; Guru sākṣāt ParaBrahmam, tasmai sri gurave namaḥ; 

tvamēva mātacha pitah tvamēva; tvamēva bandhuscha saha tvamēva; tvamēva vidyā dravinam tvamēva; tvamēva sarvaṁ mama dēva-dēva.

What does the  guru do when one approaches Guru and gives himself wholly to Guru? 

He hands  over the sastra to you. And he says you have to do sravanam. 

Do not stop with sravanam; you have to do mananam; and you have to do nidhidhyasanam; therefore sastra must be dwelt upon; you should dwell upon the sastra while studying; and after also;

And if this is not understood, all these four (world, God, Guru, Sasta)  can initially help you but these four themselves can become a bondage. 

One starts speaking on Sastra and believes himself to be an erudite scholar. 

The Yogasastra gives us the various subtle stages of metamorphosis  of a thought or a desire before it is expressed in the form of sounds  and words. Altogether it describes four distinct stages in the manifestation of a thought as an expression in words. 

First of all, the thought arises from or has contact with the reality of life in us  and at this stage, it is called 'para'. 

When it manifests sufficiently  for the ego in us to be conscious of it, it is in a state grosser than the  previous one and at this stage of its perceptible existence it is called  'pasyantl'. 

A thought of which we have become conscious passes  through a state of inner moulding in the crucible of language and  this state of transcribing thought into a series of symbolical sounds  for the purpose of conveying it to another is called 'madhyama'.  

And when actually the symbols indicated by the mind are relayed  through expressed audible sounds, the thought in its grossest  manifestation is called 'vaikharl'. 

By the term 'vaikharl', Sankara means the unproductive and noisy discussions on philosophy which some students of Vedanta  engage in. 

These gabblers are laughed at, condemned, and quite ignored by all the great Acaryas like Sankara. To the Rishis, an ounce of practice is more sacred than tons of discussion around a table. 

Our words have immense power. They channelize a creative force that express as action and ultimately create our reality. It is critical then that we learn to bring more accuracy, objectivity and positivity to our speech, as The Buddha enjoined his followers to do in his teachings on Right Speech, or maintain Noble Silence.

Love

Vieckachudamani Post 62

The beauty of the vlna and the proficiency of one playing on its chords  serve but to please an audience; they do not , by themselves , ever prove  sufficient to confer full sovereignty . 

In using analogies, nobody has yet come to the field of philosophy  who can rival Sankara's efficiency and perfection. According to him, the schools of philosophy which argue emphatically, describe beautifully and enunciate exhaustively, discussions that give clear intellectual pictures of the why and wherefore of this universe, are all nothing but the beauty of the words or the eloquence of the speaker. 

The player of an instrument with his proficiency may entertain the largest conceivable audience and for the time being, the listeners may even consider him the king of artistes. Yet, in effect, he can never gain sovereignty, permanent and complete, over the audience through the instrument. 

Similarly, the various schools of philosophy are intellectual entertainments no doubt, yet the seeker cannot gain the status of godhood by merely dabbling in philosophy. A king might entertain himself and his friends by playing the vina. But his empire is not consolidated, nor is order maintained among the people nor is royal dignity nourished through his proficiency in the instrument. 

Acharya Sankara wants to emphasize that any amount of  philosophical studies, even a mastery over all the six schools of  philosophy, cannot bring about a complete evolutionary fulfilment. 

Sankara says  one who studies apara vidya also is vidvan. Vidvan means vidyavan. One who studies para vidyā is also a vidvan. Because by definition vidvan means the one who has vidya. Apara vidya also makes a person vidvan; para vidya also makes a person vidvan. 

Even though the words are similar, their consequence, results are totally different. To convey this idea; Sankara gives an example. What is that example? He says the word Raja, 

The word Raja is derived from ranj, from the root ranj. The meaning of the word ranj is to please a person, to give joy; to give happiness. And Ranjanat Raja. A king is called Raja because he has to satisfy the people over whom he is ruling. Whatever is required, he should provide and he should keep the citizens happy. 

Sankara says: suppose there is a person who has got a wonderful veena. you know veena is a musical instrument; He has got expertise in playing and therefore people have become happy because of his veena playing. Therefore, what he has done through his concert; he has done jana ranjanam.

Therefore, according to grammar rules, he also can be called; what; Rṇja; jana ranjanat, raja. So, what is the difference.

Even though he can claim himself to be a raja, what is the difference; that raja, the original one has got samrajyam, he has got a sovereignty over the kingdom; empire, whereas the vidvan does not have sovereignty over even his wife perhaps, we do not know or the people around or the small family. Therefore, the word raja remaining the same, one has freedom; another has no freedom.

Similarly, Yoga, Sankhya, Karma, Upasana etc.  are all good, they can purify you to some extent but ultimately, it is the realization of the absolute, freedom from Samsara which makes one the real master, the real King, Shehanshah of Shehanshah(s), emperor of emperor(s).

The term 'samrajya' has a reminiscent flavor of Upanisad  in ancient literature. This term is used for the kingdom of God within, in the heart of every individual.

Love

Vivekachudamani-Post 61

Neither by yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by ritual, nor by learning, is Liberation possible. Only by the realization of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, not by any other means. (56)

None of the paths enumerated in this verse can take the student to his goal if he only mechanically follows it without an ardent and sincere cooperation. 

The Sankyan philosophy is one of the  main fountainheads of Vedanta. Vedanta has sprung from its early  roots and has ultimately reached a greater precision of thought and  perfection of detail from what was only an elaborate philosophy. 

According to the Sankyan philosophy, essentially dualistic,  the world is constituted of two intrinsic factors - Purusa and  prakrti. Spirit and matter. Spirit is the sentient, intelligent, knowing  principle, the vital factor, the source of all life that expresses through  physical forms. 

Matter is insentient, unintelligent and lifeless in itself but it comes to exhibit the characteristic of life when it is blessed with  a close proximity with the Spirit. 

Purusa by itself cannot achieve  or execute but when matter comes in contact with it, it is charged  with dynamism. 

Prakrti herself is inert; Purusa by himself has no activity.  But when they are wedded to each other, both seem to gather  divinity, might and power, as a result of each blessing the other. 

Liberation from the entanglements of prakrti is gained by  Purusa when there is discrimination on all occasions and in all  conditions, recognizing the eternal Spirit as separate from finite  matter. 

Thus, this duality between Purusha and Prakriti is there in the sankhyan philosophy.

The term 'karma' is here used to include and incorporate  the mimamsakas who believe that ritualistic activity, divine and  sacred, yields for them merits, to enjoy which they will be shifted to  other realms of intense pleasure. 

When these merits are exhausted  through enjoyment, they will return to physical forms for another  period to earn more merits to enjoy another round of utmost  pleasure. 

Upasana is not totally negated by Sankara ; upasana is negated after what you call integrating the mind; citta egagratha prapthi anantharam upasana; upasana is the only means of making the mind quiet; a restless mind can become quiet only by upāsana. 

Vedantic study is not to quieten the mind; vedantic study is made by an already quitened mind. Therefore, upasana is extremely important. If a person renounces that, he is again in trouble. 

What Sankara implies here is - grow out of upasana and commit yourself to vedanta sravana , manana nidhidhyasana.

The goal is in realising that the Self in us is the same Self  in every thing and being. 

To avoid any trace of doubt that might still linger in the  mind of the student that there are, perhaps, some methods other  than yoga, Sankhya and so on, which has not been described by  the Teacher. Sankara says pointblank, "And by no other means". 

Realization of the Self is the only method; there are no other means  by which our present experiences of finitude and limitations can  be destroyed, root and branch.

Love